


Mungo

by Little_Rabbit



Category: Fallout 3, Fallout 4
Genre: Age Difference, Awkward Boners, Drinking, F/M, Guilt, Hurt/Comfort, Loss of Virginity, Mentions of the Commonwealth, Mungo - Freeform, Questionable Karma, Regret, Seriously this is an older FO3 MacCready, Shenanigans, Smoking, Swearing, Teasing, Teen MacCready, Tying FO3 to FO4, Violence, When MacCready Met Lucy, a lot of swearing, anger issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-15
Updated: 2020-01-15
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:20:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22267048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Little_Rabbit/pseuds/Little_Rabbit
Summary: Lone Wanderer, Sylvia encounters a wild mungo MacCready.  Shenanigans occur when they hit the road together...."Why the hell should I do that?  This kid robbed me.  He needs to be made an example of."Sylvia chuckled.  "He's small time, Moriarty.  Just a stupid little kid who turned into a Mungo."
Relationships: Female Lone Wanderer/Robert Joseph MacCready, Robert Joseph MacCready/Lucy (Fallout)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 16





	Mungo

Sylvia groaned as she arched her back in a long stretch, hearing the crackle and pop from the joints in her arms as she raised them up. It was good to finally be home. She'd been escorting several caravans due north. They all seemed to think there was something worth while up that way. She was content to just do her job, make some caps and head back home to Megaton for some rest and relaxation. It still surprised her that it'd already been nearly six years since she left the old vault in search of her father. Time flies when you're the 'legendary' Lone Wanderer.

She dropped her heavy pack by the door with a loud thunk. Wadsworth raced down the stairs to greet her as usual. "Good evening, Madam!"

"Wadsworth." She acknowledged. "Got any water?"

"Certainly!" His metallic body hummed for a brief moment before dropping a can of purified water into her hand. The water in the Capital was more or less safe to drink but she always preferred her Mr.Handy's condensation collector supply. Drinking Aqua Pura just made her dwell on sad thoughts about her dad.

She cracked the can open and chugged it down, closing her gray eyes as she let the cold, crisp water breathe life back into her dry mouth.

"Will that be all, Madam?" Her robot asked, bringing her back into reality.

"Oh. Yeah, sorry. Thank you." She nodded, waving him away. "I'll be at Moriarty's. Guard the homestead, Wadsy."

With that, she grabbed a smaller bag from a locker and deposited a fair amount of caps from her travels into it. Slinging it over her shoulder, she exited the house.

It was getting dark quickly. Glancing at the clock on her pip-boy told her it was nearing 8:00pm. The bar shouldn't be too rammed just yet. She might even get a chair if she hustled.

Booking it up the stairs, she passed by what seemed like a heated argument between a few locals and a drifter. Choosing to disregard it and not get involved, she found herself in the smokey saloon. Gob greeted her as she rushed to sit in the one remaining seat at the bar. 

"Well, if it isn't Smooth-Skin-Sylvia. What'll it be?" He asked, gesturing to the shelf to his left.

Sylvia smirked at him. "A beer for now. How's it hangin' Gob?"

The ghoul mock frowned. "Rude. You know it's missing." He laughed at his own joke and slid her an ice cold beer. 

She rolled her eyes, taking a swig. "Where's Colin tonight?"

Gob shrugged. "In the back. He's been getting paranoid lately. Thinks someone's been stealing more than usual."

"Well, he IS an old man. Maybe he's getting senile?" She quipped.

"I heard that, Missy! I don't care who you are, I'll kick you out if you keep it up." Colin yelled, his voice barely muffled from the half wall separating the rooms.

"Yikes. Sorry, Moriarty." She said, pretending to hide behind her beer. 

Gob looked around before leaning in closer to her. He whispered as best as he could, "Actually, this time, I think he's right. I've been noticing some things going missing, too. We even hired a couple of thugs to pose as patrons so we could catch the fucker."

Sylvia frowned. "Damn. This thief must be pretty good if they can hit this place. I remember sneaking around in here when I first left the vault and you guys caught me every time."

Gob nodded, "Definitely. So let me know if you notice anything weird."

"Gotcha."

Just then, the doors opened with a loud bang and two large men rushed in, restraining a scrawny younger one. "Moriarty!" One of them called. Sylvia grabbed her pistol, removing the safety as she stood. Colin rushed out from the back room. "What's going on here?" He demanded. 

"Let me go you cock sucking bastards! I didn't fucking do anything!" The captive yelled, trying to squirm out of their grasp. His nose appeared broken and his left eye was swelling considerably. 

"We caught this low life sneaking around the back door, Boss." One of the thugs replied, covering the small man's mouth. "Pretty sure this is your thief. Got a pretty mouth on him too."

Colin stepped forward, observing him. "Christ. This kid was the one?" 

The small man looked around frantically, looking for a way out. His blue eyed gaze settled on Sylvia who had come to stand beside Colin, her pistol still drawn and ready. She looked at him suspiciously and curiously. Long, unruly, sandy brown hair cascaded partially over his face ending just above his shoulders. Scraggly hairs adorned his chin and he was dressed in tattered army fatigues.

The thug covering the thief's mouth spoke, "What do you want us to do with him?" 

Colin sighed, resting his forehead in his hand. "Are you positive this is the one?"

The other thug nodded. "We frisked him during our... interrogation. He had a bunch of caps on him and some cigarettes. A nice rifle too. If it's all the same, I'd like to keep it for myself."

The scrawny man began flailing angrily at that, landing a few kicks to one of the thug's shins. 

Sylvia stared intently at his beaten face. Why did he look so familiar? She knew this guy. How?

Colin shrugged. "Let him speak. I want to know for sure before I decide anything."

The thugs looked at each other hesitantly. "You sure, Boss?"

Colin crossed his arms. "Do it."

The man covering the captive's mouth let go, grabbing his arm tightly instead.

Colin stepped slightly closer. "Well, young man? Did you steal from my bar?"

The young man in question seethed, breathing through clenched teeth. "No. I didn't steal from your fucking bar! This place is a dump anyway! Nothing but bullshit cavemen and slutty bitches! You're all so fucking dead when I get out of here!"

Colin scowled, raising his arm to strike the foul mouthed man. Sylvia gasped and grabbed his arm, holding him back from following through with the punch just mere inches away from the guy's face. The scrawny man flinched slightly, shutting his eyes. 

"Holy shit!" Sylvia shouted. The man opened his eyes to look at her, his eyebrow raised in confusion.

"Leave this guy to me, Colin. I'll set him straight." She said, holstering her weapon.

Colin snarled. "Why the hell should I do that? This kid robbed me. He needs to be made an example of."

Sylvia chuckled. "He's small time, Moriarty. Just a stupid little kid who turned into a Mungo."

The captive's eyes widened, fixed on her face.

Colin scowled. "What in God's name is a Mungo?"

Sylvia snickered. "How much does he owe you?"

"1500 caps."

Now it was her turn to be surprised. She frowned at the thief. "1500?! Holy fuck. You've really fucked me over on this one. You owe me big time." She reached into her bag and pulled out a pouch of approximately 500 caps, handing it to Colin. "I'll be back with the rest. Consider this a down payment."

Colin opened the pouch, his eyes widening. "I suppose you're good for it. Just came back from a job right?"

Sylvia nodded. "We got a deal?"

Colin shrugged. "Make it 2000 and he's all yours."

The whole bar began shouting and getting rowdy. The captive was speechless, staring at her wide eyed and slack jawed. She realized that Moriarty wouldn't budge on this one.  
She looked back at him and frowned, reaching her hand out for him to shake. "Deal."

Colin shook her hand firmly and gestured to his thugs to let the man go. They threw him to the ground, kicking him once more for good measure. 

"Alright folks, nothing more to see here!" Colin shouted, heading into the back to count his caps. The bar returned to it's normal level of chaotic.

Sylvia glared at the thugs, crouching down to help the guy up. "You ok, MacCready?"

He reached for her arm, nodding. "...yeah. You're her, aren't you? The one who visited Lamplight all those years ago."

She nodded with a smile as she pulled him up to stand. He was still rather short, she noted. Just barely taller than her. "Let's go to my place and get you patched up. I bet you're hungry."

He smiled apologetically. "Starving."

...

Sylvia placed a bowl of soup in front of MacCready, handing him a spoon. "How long have you been out here?" She asked.

"I don't know. A little over a year? I don't even know what month it is." He replied, dipping his spoon in the soup.

"It's July, Mungo." She laughed, sitting down at the table across from him. He was about to take a bite and glared at her. She ignored it and carried on, "I didn't think I'd ever run into YOU again. Not after seeing your fabled 'Big Town' for myself."

MacCready winced at the soup as it burned the roof of his mouth. "I'm a tough son of a bitch, you know." He began eating the soup quickly despite its temperature.  
Sylvia chuckled. "If you say so. You certainly took one hell of a beating."

He frowned, swallowing. "I'd say you should see the other guys but... well... you have. It wasn't exactly a fair fight."

She shook her head. "Always with the bad jokes. You haven't changed a bit. Except for the fact that you're a Mungo now."

"Ugh. Fuck you. I'm eating." He complained, tipping the bowl to drink the remainder of the broth. When done, he slammed the bowl down with a sigh. She simply watched him curiously while slowly eating her own. 

MacCready smirked and leaned forward, locking his eyes with hers. He stared at her for a mere ten seconds before grinning wildly. "You lose."

Sylvia blinked at him. "I beg your pardon?"

He laughed and leaned back into his chair. "The staring contest. I win."

She chuckled, looking down at her soup. "Oh. I didn't know we were having one."

"Something wrong with my face?" He asked, teasingly.

She looked back up at him and frowned. "You mean, besides all the bruises and swelling? Your nose looks broken. Doesn't that shit hurt?"

His grin disappeared and he glanced away. "We got a fuckin' genius over here."

Sylvia sighed and slid her bowl over to him. "Eat up. I'm gonna go get the first aid kit."

She stood and disappeared upstairs. He could hear her rummaging around up there as he made quick work of her soup. When she returned, he looked nervous. 

"Why are you helping me?" He asked bluntly. "2000 caps is a lot. I've never even seen that many."

Sylvia thought for a moment. "You're right. Here, I'll take you back to the saloon and let the wild mongrels eat you alive."

MacCready chuckled. "At least my last meal was tasty."

She laughed, placing the box of medical supplies on the table. "Wouldn't you rather have cave fungus?"

He visibly relaxed, "You remember that?"

She grinned, pulling out stimpaks, gauze and some med-x. "I remember a lot of things. A certain foul-mouthed, bratty little Mayor is especially memorable. Wonder what he's up to now."

He grinned wildly at the game she'd started playing. "Oh, probably killing Raider motherfuckers and laying some serious pipe with a lot of babes."

She shook her head despite her mirrored grin. "Or getting his ass handed to him by a couple of lowlife thugs." 

He glared at her. The game was ruined.

She pulled her chair over closer to his and sat down, leaning over to grab a bottle of vodka off a shelf. Pouring a bit onto some gauze, she reached over and gingerly peeled the blood soaked strands of hair off of his face and tucked them back behind his ear. He watched her face intently, a slight blush dusting his cheeks at her proximity.

"Laying pipe, huh? Aren't you like twelve?" She teased, attempting to distract him from the next step.

He bristled at her. "I'm seventeen, you fucking Mung-"

She placed the gauze down gently on his nose and dabbed carefully. He winced and sucked in air through clenched teeth. "Fuck!!"

"Sorry, I have to disinfect the area. The stimpaks will only do so much."

"You're such a fucking bitch! Fuck you! Fffffffff-"

Sylvia finished cleaning the wound, reaching over to grab the bottle of vodka. "You have a choice to make, Mac."

He relaxed somewhat, exhaling. "Mac? That some kind of lame nickname?"

She sighed. "MacCready's just too long. It's a mouthful."

He leaned in toward her, his eyebrow raised suggestively. "You're damn right it is."

Sylvia blushed a deep crimson when she realized what she'd said. She took a deep drink from the vodka, attempting to drown herself in it from sheer embarrassment.

Mac laughed wiping a tear from his good eye. "What's this about a choice?"

She glared at him, one eye closed in discomfort from the vodka burning her esophagus. "Anyway. Yeah. I was going to say you can either have some vodka or some med-x. Either will help with the pain. What's your preference?"

He nodded toward the vodka, "Looks like there isn't much of that left. I'll take the med-x."

She looked down at the vodka, blushing. "Right. Sorry." 

He smirked, rolling up one of his sleeves. "This gonna hurt, Doc?"

She shook her head, preparing the needle, "Not really. It's gonna make you drowsy and take the pain away. Once you start feeling it, I'll inject the stimpak for good measure." She took his exposed arm in one hand and searched for a good vein. "Ready?"

He chuckled. "Hit me."

She injected the needle and released the drug into his system. "Let me know when you're good."

He sat back in the chair, letting his muscles relax completely. "Holy shit. I feel like a cloud."

She smiled, nodding. "Excellent. It's working." Grabbing the stimpak off the table, she leaned in even closer to him, their knees touching. "Almost done." She injected the stimpak into the sides of his nose and pulled back, checking her work.

Mac's eyes were half closed, a goofy smile plastered on his face. "Wanderer?"

She giggled at his state, "My name's Sylvia. What's up?"

He laughed, his voice cracking slightly. "You're beautiful."

A dark blush crept it's way across her cheeks. She shook her head. "Med-x makes you silly."

Mac tried to frown but the smile was fighting for dominance. "You are. I always thought so."

She decided that humor would be the best way out of this situation. "Please. I was a big, dumb Mungo remember?"

He shook his head, his face finally obeying his wishes with a frown. "If I was older I would have..."

Mac leaned forward quickly, gripping her chin in his hand. His lips locked with hers clumsily but firm. Sylvia's eyes widened and she pushed him back. She stood and backed herself up until she was on the other side of the table.

"Mac... that was... inappropriate." She scolded, touching her lips.

He sighed and leaned back in his chair, folding his arms. "Why?"

She laughed incredulously. "Because you're a kid."

He glared hazily at her. "Make up your fucking mind. One second you're calling me a Mungo, the next, you say I'm a kid. Which is it?"

She rested her face in the palm of her hand, frowning. "I'm twenty-four, Mac. I'm way older than you."

"You're being ridiculous. I'm a man, why does age matter anymore?" He spat.

"Men don't throw tantrums like... THIS." She barked, gesturing to him. 

Mac laughed, shaking his head. "Have you ever MET a man. It's all we do."

Damn it. He had a point. "Just. Don't do it again, ok?"

He yawned, fighting the drowsiness the med-x was causing. "No promises."

Sylvia sighed, cautiously making her way over to him. "Let's go. You need to sleep." 

He grinned lopsidedly at her as she reached down to grasp his arms and pulled him up to stand. Big mistake. As soon as he was on his feet she was being poked from somewhere below the belt. 

"Oh, Jesus fucking Christ." She cursed, her tone dripping with annoyance. 

Mac chuckled. "How can you blame me? You're a knockout."

"Give it a rest. Literally." She groaned, a half smile on her face.

She propped him up crutch style with her shoulder and they slowly climbed the stairs, entering her bedroom. 

"So... which side of the bed do you want?" He asked, flirtatiously. She sighed and dropped him onto the mattress with little to no care. 

"It's all yours. Sleep, Mungo." She said, waving backwards at him as she left to sleep on her couch.

...

Mac awoke in an unfamiliar place. He was startled at first, looking around frantically before remembering the night before. He carefully reached up to touch his face. A bit tender but seemed fine. He could see out of both eyes again, too. What a relief. Snipers need their eyes.

He carefully got up and peeked out from the doorway. A Mr. Handy was charging up in the corner and there was a nice jukebox as well. No sign of Sylvia. 

"Sylvia?" He called out. No response. He sighed and walked down the stairs, spotting a note on the table. 

Mac,  
I had to go have a chat with folks around town.  
I'll be back around noon. STAY INSIDE THE HOUSE.  
-Sylvia

He frowned at the order to remain indoors. He had no way of knowing what time it was. Unless.

He went back upstairs and stared at the robot. How do you wake these fucking things up?

Almost like he willed it to happen, the Mr.Handy beeped and began levitating. It's ocular apertures focused on him. 

"INTRUDER. INTRUDER."

Mac gasped and ran down the stairs. "Fuck!" 

He bolted to the door, flinging it open and colliding with Sylvia, knocking her down. 

"Ugh- What the actual fuck, Mac?!" She shouted, rubbing her forehead.

"Sorry, it's just, your fucking robot woke up and started yelling intruder at me!"

Sylvia blinked and checked her pip-boy. "Ohhhh. Yeah, he wakes up at noon. Sorry I'm late?"

Mac shrugged and held his chest. "It's ok. I just almost shit my pants, is all."

She chuckled. "I have good news. Let's go back inside."

The Mr.Handy had completely changed personalities as soon as it saw Sylvia. It was all pleasant and chipper. Mac rolled his eyes at it.

"So. First thing's first. We have a debt to Moriarty to pay down. I've secured us a decent gig guarding a caravan to Rivet City. Do you know how to shoot?"

Mac raised an eyebrow at her and frowned. "Of course I do. Problem though. That thug took my gun."

Sylvia grinned at him, pointing to the locker behind him. "Happy Birthday."

His eyes widened and wordlessly, he went to investigate the locker. Inside, a well maintained Sniper Rifle leaned against the back and the top shelf was littered with the ammo to go with it.

"S-seriously? For me?" He asked, turning in shock to look at her. She smiled, her arms folded over her chest. "Only if you prove you know how to use it. This gun is serious. She really packs a punch."

Mac turned back to pick it up. It was heavy. Felt legit. Better than that scrap he had before. "Deal."

Sylvia grinned, walking up behind him. He felt her tug at his hair and turned around in place. She was so close, he could feel her body heat. He couldn't help the blush that spread from cheeks to the tips of his ears. "Um... what?" He asked nervously.

She shook her head, smirking and handed him a rubber band. "Tie that hair back. It's in your way." 

He chuckled, taking the elastic. "You got it."

Once deemed suitable, Mac followed her out of Megaton. She scaled a collapsed building and crouched when she reached it's peak. Some parts of the roof made for good cover. She motioned for him to follow. Once beside her, he looked around curiously.

"Alright. What do you see?" She asked.

Mac laughed in excitement, pulling the gun off of his shoulder and adjusting the scope. He looked around through it, scanning the area. He adjusted it again for more distance and caught sight of something. "Yao guai, pretty far out." He announced.

Sylvia nodded. "Let's see if you can take it out."

He grinned, the beast still in his sight. "Easy."

Breathing in, he aimed and fired. He managed to hit it's leg. The creature seemed in pain and confused. 

"Mac, you missed." Sylvia remarked.

He tensed up, frowning. "No, I fucking got it."

"Aim for it's head." She replied.

He aimed and took another shot, missing the target entirely. 

He heard Sylvia sigh and lowered the gun to glare at her. She was watching the yao guai through binoculars. "Mac?" She asked, lowering them to look at him. "Why'd you stop? It's still there."

He glowered at her. "Your fucking comments are distracting me."

Sylvia groaned. "You can't let yourself get distracted. That's how you end up dead out here."

"Hey! I've done just fucking fine not being dead so far."

She rolled her eyes and looked back through the binoculars. "Let me show you."

He grimaced. "Like hell!"

She snapped her gaze at him and it felt like she was boring holes into his head. "Mac, you want my gun or not?"

He sighed irritably and shoved the gun into her hands. She offered him the binoculars and he snatched them angrily.

She swapped places with him and looked through the scope. He'd adjusted it perfectly so all she had to do was line up the shot. He watched bitterly through the binoculars, huffing impatiently. "You gonna just stand there or-"

A loud bang sounded and his jaw dropped slightly as he watched the beast's head practically explode.

"You've gotta be more patient, too." She remarked, handing him back the rifle. 

He quietly bit his lip and extended the binoculars out for her to take and she just shook her head. 

"Keep 'em. You never know if they'll come in handy out here."

He nodded, "Thank you."

Sylvia chuckled. "You're welcome. Ready to work?"

Mac grinned. "Let's do it."

...

Sylvia sighed, lighting up a cigarette. They'd just barely made it halfway before the sun began to set. Her feet were still sore from her last job. The blazing heatwave they were experiencing wasn't helping. She glanced behind her at Mac. He was sweating a lot and lagging behind considerably. She whistled to halt the caravaner and his brahmin.

When Mac reached her, he was panting. "Sorry. Just not used to this heat." He wheezed. 

Of course he wasn't. Lamplight was a cold, damp cave after all. "Need more water?" She asked, offering him her canteen. He took it graciously and drank a large gulp before swiftly handing it back. "A smoke might help too." He mentioned. 

Sylvia gasped, digging through her pockets. "Oh shit! You smoke. I totally forgot. Why didn't you say something sooner? You must be really craving one."

Mac smiled lopsidedly at her. "You're already doing so much for me. I didn't want to sound ungrateful."

She shook her head, handing him the rest of her pack. "Don't worry about it. I have plenty." 

The caravaner cleared his throat. "If you two lovebirds are done, how 'bout helping me with setting up camp? Looks like a storm's coming." 

This had been an ongoing trend with this client. The whole first half of the journey he'd been making jokes about their 'chemistry'. It was starting to really grate on her nerves.  
Sylvia frowned, "Yeah, be right there." She looked back to Mac. "You good?" 

He exhaled a large cloud of smoke. His expression dripped with satisfaction. "Hell yeah."

She chuckled and scanned the area for good places to rest. "That old metro station looks good. I'll go check it out. Mac, stay here and guard our client."

He shrugged, "Got it."

With that, she rushed over to the entrance, looking around for traps or enemies before heading down into the tunnel. Her pipboy illuminated her way. No sign of any recent activity, save for a few radroaches. Looked good. She took it upon herself to bar a metal gate closed for extra security and lit a few lanterns in the room she'd claimed before heading back to the surface.

The storm had rolled in quickly and the sky was considerably darker than when she'd left. Rain was beginning to fall and she could hear thunder getting nearer. She called out to Mac to join her and when he looked her way, his eyes narrowed. Quickly, without hesitation, he yanked his rifle off his back and aimed in her direction. 

Sylvia stilled, confusion flashing on her face before he pulled the trigger. A body fell off of the roof of the structure, landing heavily in front of her. A raider. That was close. Mac led the caravaner to the entrance to the tunnel, oblivious to the shock on Sylvia's face. 

"Let's go. It's getting worse out here!" He shouted, grabbing her hand. She followed him down, still rather stunned at what he'd done. The brahmin made a loud sound of protest as it slowly made it's way down the steps. 

"Well done, boy! You're a good shot!" The caravaner praised, smacking Mac's back in appreciation.

He chuckled, "Thanks, it was nothin'."

His blue eyes settled back on Sylvia. "You ok? You look paler than those fuckers of Atom."

She blinked, a slight blush forming on her cheeks. "What? Yeah. I just. Good job."

Mac's smile disappeared and he looked at her intently. "What's wrong?"

She shook her head, a slight grin pulling at her lips. "I'm fine. Just impressed. Really impressed."

He raised an eyebrow at her, that flirtatious, crooked smile reappearing. "Oh? Do tell."

"Oh, for fucks sake! There's a goddamn storage closet over there. Go have a quickie and get it over with." The caravaner shouted, sitting down on an old bench. "Fucking teenagers." He grumbled.

Sylvia frowned, "Fuck you! I'm twent-"

Mac covered her mouth with his hand, halting her retort. "Cool it. This guy's our boss, remember?"

She rolled her eyes at him and nodded. 

"Although... I'd be lying if I said your anger wasn't a huge turn on." He added, winking at her.

She bristled at him, pulling his hand away from her mouth. "Ugh!" She growled, moving away from them both to unpack her bedroll.

Mac chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. He liked that he could fluster her and an even bigger fan of the compliment she'd just given him. He unrolled his bed against a wall and sat down, gently placing his new favorite gun down beside him.

It didn't take long for the caravaner to begin snoring loudly from his bench in the corner. Sylvia had been busying herself with cleaning her shotgun. Shooting subtle glances Mac's way every so often. 

"Mac." She finally said, the silence becoming too weird. "I'll take watch. Get some sleep."

He looked up from the comic he'd been reading, eyeing her indifferently. "Nah. I'm good. Rest up."

She frowned. "Aren't you tired?"

He chuckled softly. "Fuck yeah, I'm tired."

"Then why don't you want to sleep?"

He blushed slightly. "You ask too many questions, Syl."

She looked at him bemused, "Syl?" 

He shrugged, "Mac?"

She giggled, "Touché."

He stuck his tongue out at her, returning to his comic. So childish, she thought. Yet, the way he'd been conducting himself out on the road had been relatively mature and professional. 

She watched him read in the soft lantern light, his features told a story of hardship. Managing and protecting a lot of kids for the majority of his life. His eyes had seen too much. Much more than hers had at seventeen. She was still living comfortably in the facade of vault 101 back then. 

His eyes lit up when the comic was humorous, then became serious when it was not. She'd read that one countless times. It was a roller coaster of emotions. Action packed but with plenty of drama thrown in.

Mac's eyes were suddenly looking in her direction. Intrigue all over his face. "How many men have you slept with?"

She just gawked at him. Where did that come from? "What the fuck, Mac? That's none of your goddamn business."

"A lot?" He asked, ignoring her protest.

She sighed. "No. Shut up and read your comic."

"Are you a virgin?" He pressed, that fucking eyebrow raised again.

Sylvia groaned. "Seriously? Fuck off."

He chuckled. "If you really wanna know why I won't sleep, I'll tell you."

That caught her attention. Curiosity got the better of her. "Oh yeah? Why's that?"

He lifted his comic book up off of his lap. "I have this crazy fucking boner that won't go away."

She quickly looked away, her face bright red. Not before seeing the sizeable tent he'd displayed, that is. Fucking hell.

"Holy shit!" She shouted. 

"I know right? What's the deal?" He replied.

She covered her mouth, quickly looking over at the caravaner to check if he was still asleep. A loud snore erupted from his bench in the shadows. She sighed with relief.

Mac chuckled softly. "I think we're safe."

Sylvia turned to glare at him, making sure to only look at his face. "Inappropriate."

He frowned at her. "Hurry up and go to bed so I can jerk off."

She gasped. "What the fuck? How can you just say something like that?"

He leaned back on his hands, a shit eating grin on his face as he spread his legs out. "Relax. I was just teasing you. You're... cute when you blush."

She rolled her eyes. "There's no way I can sleep now."

He laughed, "Got you all hot and bothered, have I?"

She went back to putting her gun back together. "Not even a little bit." A lie. A fucking lie. She was dripping. It'd been too long, she realized. That was all. She'd have to pay her old pal Butch a visit when she got to Rivet City.

She heard a soft moan. Followed by slow, muffled wet sounds and fabric rustling. "Mac!" She whispered angrily, not daring to look up.

"Mmmm...yeah?" He replied, his voice low and raspy.

"Stop it. Now." She ordered. Fighting every urge to glare at him, closing her eyes tightly.

She heard him sigh in annoyance. More fabric shuffling. Loud snoring from the other side of the room, then silence. "Thank you." She mumbled.

"You're welcome."

His voice was close, too close. She looked up to see him standing in front of her, arms crossed and staring at her intensely. The bulge in his pants twitched and she blushed deeply, her eyes becoming heavy lidded and her lips slightly parting. 

"Mac." She whispered.

He continued to look down at her, frustration and excitement in his eyes. "Yeah?"

That smug expression on his face. His bold 'go big or go home' mentality. Fuck it.

She growled in annoyance, reaching up to grab him by his shirt and yanking him down. She kissed him hungrily, sliding her hand down his chest and stomach and into his pants. He moaned into her kiss, reaching up to hold the sides of her face. She wrapped her hand around his cock and started rubbing from base to tip, aggressively. He hissed into her mouth and pulled away long enough to grab her hands, holding them still. He leaned in and kissed her gently. Timidly. It wasn't the thrilling pace she'd expected. 

It gave her pause. Rational thought fighting to come back. "Wait." She said, pulling away from him. She'd expected him to look annoyed but instead he looked hurt. 

"You don't like me, do you?" He asked, sitting back against the wall.

She tilted her head, a frown on her face. "I just kissed you and you're worried about me liking you?"

He bit his lower lip. "You're right, I'm an idiot." He rushed forward to kiss her again but she stopped him.

"Maybe we should think on this for a bit." She whispered, looking into his eyes.

He blinked and sighed, "I guess."

She smiled apologetically. "Let's finish this job before we um... start another one."

He grinned wildly at that, "Definitely."

They smiled at each other silently for a few moments before he added, "Can I at least see a little something? It'd help." He gestured to his crotch.

She blushed, biting her lip. Looking over toward their client to ensure privacy first, she slowly unzipped her jacket, lifting the loose tank top she wore under it. Her exposed nipples hardened immediately and Mac swallowed at the sight, licking his lips absentmindedly. She bit back a giggle and grabbed one of his hands, placing it over a breast. She noticed how big his hands really were, rough and covered in calluses. He squeezed it gently, sucking in a deep breath, eyes glued to where he touched her.

Sylvia eyed him curiously. He was being so shy. Then it dawned on her. She pulled her shirt back down quickly, zipping her jacket up before he could even really react. 

"Mac..." She started, her voice sounding slightly uneasy. "Can I ask you something?"

He wore his cocky, smug expression again, "Anything, Beautiful."

"Are you... uh. Well, that is..." She stammered, trying to find a good way to phrase it.

He reached up, playing with some of her hair. "Spit it out."

"Well... have you ever... uh."

He chuckled nervously, realizing where she could be going with this. "Fucked? Y-yeah. A bunch."

She sighed heavily, gripping her chest. "Oh, good. Don't scare me like that." 

The last thing she wanted to worry about was being his first. Her relief seemed short lived however and his sudden silence irked her. She looked back at him. He'd looked away, lost in thought. She bit her lip nervously. 

"You haven't... have you."

He stared back at her quickly, blushing and shaking his head. "Of course I have! J-just drop it, will ya?"

She frowned as he stood, watching him walk over to the utility closet. 

"I'm going to go take care of something. Get some sleep."

With that, the conversation ended. She still couldn't shake the feeling that he was lying about it, and other things for that matter. She'd question him when their current mission was over.

...

Mac had made it very clear that discretion wasn't something he was capable of. He'd been flirting shamelessly with her for most of the day. He'd brush up a bit too close to her while walking, he'd sneak an ass grab whenever available and his mouth. Dear god, the guy could be vulgar. He'd whispered a few naughty nothings in her ear when he thought it'd get a rise out of her and it worked every single time. 

Sylvia was nearly fully engaged in panic mode over what she'd started the night before. She really didn't want him to get this attached to her. She liked him well enough and thought he was easy on the eyes but she didn't feel for him the way she suspected he did for her. She couldn't even remember the last time she had a crush on anybody. Maybe, if she thought hard enough, Freddie Gomez back in the vault?

The caravaner wasn't holding back either. He was having a field day with his unwanted comments and jokes. Even going as far as egging her companion on. At one point she swore they were conspiring against her, the client seemingly giving Mac tips on how to 'handle' her.

She'd been far too relieved to finally see the rusty ship city on the horizon. As they got closer, the nervous pit of anxiety in her stomach returned and she couldn't take it anymore. She needed to have a word with Mac.

Pulling him out of earshot of their client, she took a deep breath. "Look, MacCready."

His happy demeanor vanished into a serious, focused one. "Uh oh. My full name. What did I do?"

She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "If we're gonna screw around I need you to understand something first."

He tried to frown but the thought of screwing around kept him smiling. "Yeah? Rules, huh?"

She nodded carefully. "I don't want a boyfriend, ok? So I'd appreciate it if we could just keep things light and casual. I'm still not sure it's ok to even go that far."

There was the frown. "You still think I'm too young, don't you." It was less of a question and more of a statement at this point. He was getting ornery about that particular topic.

"Kind of. You're what, seventeen? Mac, that's-"

He cut her off, his tone argumentative. "Is eighteen more fucking acceptable to you?"

"Excuse me?" She replied, anger beginning to boil in her as well.

"Cuz' I could be eighteen, you know. I don't HAVE a real fucking birthday. Fuck if I know how old I really am. Parents dumped me in Little Lamplight with nothing but a bullshit piece of paper with my name on it."

Her eyes widened. "Wait... You don't even have a birthday?"

He crossed his arms, irritation still present in his voice, "Not really. In Lamplight, your birthday is guessed and assigned by the older kids. Unless you're lucky enough to be born there, if you can even call that luck."

Sylvia's eyes began to well up with tears, but blinked them away quickly. "That's... actually really sad."

Mac's anger simmered considerably and he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Look, I'm sorry for losing my temper. It's not really sad. I'm completely fine."

She couldn't stop the tears from flowing now, pulling him into a hug. She sobbed softly into his shoulder and he hesitated slightly before gently rubbing her back.  
"Sylvia. It's ok, really." He mumbled, resting his cheek against her head. 

She pulled away, wiping her face with her sleeve. "I just... my birthdays were always such happy days. For you they must have been terrifying. Every year just one step closer to being exiled."

He nodded, carefully wiping a stray tear off of her cheek with his thumb. "Yeah, but it wasn't so bad. I left and now I'm traveling with THE Lone Wanderer. That's pretty fucking awesome."

She laughed, shaking her head. "Whatever. I'm just another person trying to survive out here."

He chuckled, "I don't know about that. Three Dog and Knock Knock told your stories religiously."

She sniffled, smiling while regaining her composure. "Let's get moving. Rivet City should be coming up."

He grinned at her, "Tell you what. I promise I'll stop hitting on you for now. You ever change your mind about fucking my brains out, I'll be around."

She laughed, punching his arm as she walked by. "Deal."

...

Once they reached their destination, the caravaner handed Sylvia their pay and they finally parted ways. She'd led Mac inside the rusty ship and down to the marketplace to count their caps over lunch. 

"So what were you even doing when we met?" She asked, taking a sip of beer.

"Mayoral shit. You already know that." He replied, taking a bite of his squirrel on a stick.

She giggled, "Not back then, I meant at Moriarty's."

He swallowed and gulped some of his own beer to wash it down. "Oh, that. I was looking for my target. Contract guaranteed 250 caps upon completion."

She frowned at him. "Target? Like... to kill?"

He nodded, "Yeah, I'm a merc. I didn't tell you that?"

Sylvia sighed. "So you really weren't the one stealing from Colin?"

He chuckled, finishing off his beer. "I really wasn't."

"So you're not a thief?" She asked, poking her brahmin steak with her fork. 

He frowned. "I didn't say that. But I definitely didn't steal anything while I was in Megaton."

She slammed her fist down hard on the table, causing a few other patrons to glance their way. "Damn it! I let that fucker swindle me out of 2000 caps?!"

Mac looked at her sympathetically. "You saved my ass, Syl. If it makes you feel any better, I have a friend here in Rivet City who owes me 300."

Her attention gained, he continued, "You might remember a certain bossy little girl by the name of Princess."

Sylvia stared at him in shock. "She's here? She made it out?"

Mac laughed, his eyes full of amusement. "Yeah. I actually had to go back to pick her up and brought her here. She was terrified of the wasteland. Loaned her some caps to get her started and the hotel hired her to keep the rooms tidy."

She grinned, waving the waitress over for another round of drinks. She finished her beer and picked up the new one, gesturing for him to follow suit. "To Princess! The wasteland's most ironically named maid!" 

He laughed boisterously and clinked her beer with his own. They both chugged a fair amount down and smirked at each other.

Mac was about to speak again and held back, laughing quietly to himself.

"What's so funny?" She asked, tilting her head.

"No, no. I promised I'd be good." He said, taking another gulp of beer.

Sylvia frowned, pulling out her pack of cigarettes and lighting one. "Oh, come on. I want in on it." 

He bit his lip. "It's... a flirty thing, Syl. I promised."

She blushed. Impressive that he seemed so honest for a killer and a thief. Keeping a promise seemed important to him. "Is it really funny?" She asked.

He began snickering again. "It's... it's pretty funny."

Sylvia frowned. "Just tell me."

"But I promised."

"Ok, last one. Then you can promise for real." She offered.

He narrowed his eyes at her, trying to sniff out the bullshit. Finding none, he sighed, grinning wildly.

"Right. Come closer." He replied.

She did as he said and he moved close to her ear. His warm breath tickled, causing goosebumps to run along her body. 

"I was just thinking how much fun it'd be to mess up our room, knowing she'd be the one cleaning up the sheets after we're done."

Sylvia's eyes grew wide then heavy lidded. When he went to move away, still laughing, she caught his arm. Locking her eyes with his, she traced his jawline with her index finger. "That's hilarious." She breathed. His eyes fell to her parted lips. "Syl..." He warned.

She let him go, grabbing her beer and chugging the rest of it down. Mac watched her rushed pace and mirrored it, finishing his own as well. She stood, placing her smoke between her lips and grabbing her stuff. "Let's go." She announced, dropping caps on the table.

He stood as well. Slinging his rifle over his shoulder, he swiped her smoke from her mouth and took a long drag from it. "Where to?"

She flicked the smoke out of his hand, stomping it out. "To 'our' room."

...

Sylvia entered the room, casually throwing her bag into a corner and more carefully setting her weapons down on a dresser. Mac followed her lead, seeming eager. He approached her, burying his fingers in her loose blonde hair before placing a kiss on her forehead. She closed her eyes, holding his hand to her cheek coyly.

"Just gotta use the bathroom real quick," He said, releasing her. "Don't start without me."

She blushed, nodding. "I'll be here."

He stepped into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. When finally alone he let out a sigh. He rushed over to the sink and the cracked mirror above it and began splashing water all over his face. Breathing heavily, he stared into his reflection, slapping both sides of his face at once.

"You can do this." He whispered to himself, not entirely buying it. He felt like his heart was going to burst. Mungos fuck, he decided. It was normal and going to feel amazing. There's no way she'll ever know it was his first time. All he had to do was be confident and convincing. Easy. Piece of cake. Fuck.

He sighed at his reflection as he gripped the sides of the sink. He was screwed. Panic wasn't sexy. He just needed to calm the fuck down. Just go in there and follow his instincts.

He took the elastic out of his hair and mussed it up the way he liked it. Taking one last look in the mirror, he reached for the door handle and heard 'Maybe' playing quietly on the radio in the bedroom. The soft tone of the song calmed him some and he smiled as he emerged to find Sylvia sitting on the bed, looking down at her pipboy, already having removed her jacket and boots. 

"Hey." He said, leaning against the doorway. He could hear his own heartbeat loudly in his ears. She looked up at him, offering him a tender smile. "Hey." She replied.

"I like this song."

She nodded and stood slowly, "So do I." 

The small talk felt more natural than he'd expected. It wasn't awkward in the slightest. She approached him carefully. "Your hair's pretty long, Mac." She whispered, reaching up to tuck some behind his ear. He watched her face intently, blue eyes staring into steel gray.

"Sure is. Like it?" He responded, his voice raspy. 

"Might look better short." She teased, running her fingers down the side of his face.

"Maybe," He replied in time with the song, "I'll get it cut." 

She grinned with a gentle shake of her head. He smirked and gripped her close with one hand on her waist. She blinked at him, startled, before understanding. She offered him her hands and he placed one on his shoulder and the other in his free hand. He stepped slowly forward, her, stepping back. He nearly stepped on her toes and she dodged, laughing.

"Haven't done this before," He chuckled, "Always wanted to try it."

She giggled. "You're meant to lead."

He pulled her closer, kissing her neck gingerly. "Good thing I have years of leadership experience, then." She moaned softly at the tickle his facial hair provided, pulling his face close to kiss his lips. He went with it, kissing her back feverishly. She attacked his neck with her lips and tongue, sucking at the skin until it turned purple. He groaned, running his hands down her body to grab her ass. Switching her radio off, she giggled, pulling him backwards with her to the bed. 

She yanked her tank top over her head quickly, next moving to work on her pants. Mac removed his shirt, keeping his eyes on all of the new skin he was seeing. He kicked his boots off and was left in just his pants. Sylvia pulled hers off revealing a pair of plain army green panties. She lay back on the bed, gazing up at him, her hair splayed all over the pillow.

Mac stood nervously. Unsure what to do with his hands, he pocketed them, trying to appear casual.

"Come here," She breathed, looking at him hungrily. He went to her and planted a knee on the edge of the bed, using it as leverage to climb over on top of her. He gasped when he felt her fingers running down his bare chest, through the light, wiry hairs which dusted his skin.

Her exploration ended where his pants began but quickly continued up his back until she stopped again at the base of his neck. He leaned down to capture her lips in a kiss, delighting in the way she sighed and gripped him tighter. He braced himself with one forearm on the bed next to her and used his other hand to run up her torso to a breast, squeezing it gently. Releasing her lips, he bent down to take a puckered nipple into his mouth, licking and teasing it before sucking with minimal pressure. She moaned, her fingers twining through his hair as he kissed and tasted her skin.

"Take your pants off." She whispered, panting slightly. He grinned up at her sheepishly, kissing down her body until he was off the bed again. She stretched out, watching him lustily as she slid her panties off, throwing them carelessly across the room. He smirked and undid his pants, letting them fall gracelessly to the floor, watching her face intently as she drank in the sight of his fully naked form. He gripped his cock in one hand, pumping it slowly a few times. It was impossibly hard and twitched impatiently, leaking precum from the tip already.

She sucked in an excited, sharp breath. "Fuck yes. Get over here, Mac."

He grinned, brimming with confidence over her reaction. He obliged, crawling back over her.

She smiled impishly, flipping over. She arched her back, raising her ass toward him. "Fuck me." She demanded.

Mac panted at the sight. Her round ass wiggling and between her legs, her pussy glistened with her juices. He took a moment, trying to get his bearings. Running his fingers along her slit, he used the wetness there to lubricate the tip of his swollen cock. He pressed it against her, searching for the way in. It was proving more tricky than he'd admit. She ground against him in anticipation, groaning out of mild frustration and reached back to spread her cheeks for him. 

That helped considerably, now with a clear target in sight, he gripped her hips and lined up the shot. The tip began to sink into her and impatiently as always, he went for it. Thrusting into her roughly in one go. He hit resistance quickly and she cried out in surprise, releasing her cheeks and gripping the sheets instead. 

"Ow, Mac! Easy!" She shouted, glaring back at him. He stilled, thoughts being overruled by how her pussy felt. Wet, warm, squeezing his cock and so fucking tight. 

"Ohhh fffuck..." He moaned through gritted teeth.

He couldn't help himself, he had to move. He withdrew some and slammed back in, going deeper with each attempt. It felt like she was swallowing him, in the best way. His fingers dug into the soft flesh of her ass, pulling her to thrust into her harder. She'd begun moaning loudly, thrashing back against him.

His cock stretched her. The delicious friction against her inner walls scratching the distinct itch of arousal for her perfectly. She moaned and sighed, taking any chance she could to peek back at him. She could see the muscles in his chest and arms flexing with each thrust. His eyes drifting between closed and heavy lidded but always fixed on where he was connected to her. 

He could feel himself getting close already but was too entranced in the activity to care. Sweat began to bead up on his forehead, dampening his hair. Noticing her watching him, he growled primal, reaching down to yank her up against his body. He held her by her arms, still pounding into her at an alarming pace. She shrieked with pleasure and excitement, remaining still but rigid against him. 

"M-Mac! S-slow d-down!" She shouted, but it was too late. 

"Fuck! I'm gonna blow!" He managed to choke out before letting her go, pulling out in just enough time to shoot his thick cum all over her back and ass. He leaned forward against her as he rode out his orgasm, moaning and panting. She caught her breath quickly and lay beneath him, silently.

He eventually rolled off of her, still trying to catch his breath and collapsed onto his back. 

"Holy shit." He breathed.

She chuckled, "That good, huh?"

He looked over at her, appearing dazed. She'd rolled onto her side and was watching him with a sly grin.

"Abso-fuckin-lutely." He replied, reaching over to caress her cheek.

"Best you've ever had?" She asked, raising a brow in a knowing look.

He gave her a tired smile. "Uh, yeah. Of course."

She shook her head, unconvinced. "Uh-huh."

He flipped onto his side, facing her, running the back of his hand along her arm. "What's the matter?"

She locked eyes with him, trying to convey that she'd figured him out. "I guess I'm not surprised. Just wish you were honest about it."

He frowned. "What are you getting at?"

She smirked. "That was your first time, wasn't it."

He let out a shaky sigh. "What gave it away?"

She smiled, curling up closer to him. "Just seemed like you weren't sure what you were doing."

He groaned. "Fuck. Was it that bad?"

She chuckled. "Not at all. Why try to hide it?"

He absentmindedly played with her hair. "Guess I just wanted to seem older for you. More experienced."

She leaned in to gently kiss his forehead. "I can teach you some tricks if you want."

He laughed nervously, "You'd want to try it again?"

She nodded, "You have... potential."

He groaned, "I fucking hate that word. It implies that I'm not already the greatest."

She laughed, shaking her head. "You're so arrogant."

"I think you said hilarious wrong."

She continued to laugh, hiding her face in her pillow. He grinned wildly. That's better. Her laugh was infectious and he couldn't help but join in. They talked that way for a while. Nearly oblivious to the passage of time until Sylvia's stomach rumbled loudly. Mac got out of bed and began to dress.

"I'll go grab us some food and see if I can't track Princess down to settle her debt." He said, pulling on his boots.

Sylvia sat up, covering herself with a tattered blanket. "You sure?"

He grinned at her. "Of course. Leave it to me."

She nodded, laying back down. "Don't be long, ok?"

He chuckled, "Aw, miss me already?"

She threw his pillow at him, giggling. "Not at all."

He ducked out of the way and opened the door, leaving her to relax.

...

As Mac made his way up the stairs he nearly bumped into a taller man wearing a leather jacket. "Watch it, punk!" The man snapped. Mac glared at him, causing the guy to stop

His scowl disappeared when he looked more closely at Mac. "Heyyyy. Wait a minute. You look like you could use a trim, pal."

Mac kept glaring at him, "A trim?"

The man grinned, suddenly transforming into a business man. "Yeah, name's Butch. I'm the barber around here." He extended his hand to shake Mac's.

Mac frowned down at his hand, no intention of shaking it. "MacCready."

Butch laughed, "Tough guy, eh? I think I know the perfect style for you. Stop by my shop if you feel like it." He waved, continuing up the stairs.

"Wait." Mac said, looking up to the next flight. "You got time now?"

Butch poked his head around at him, grinning slyly. "Yeah sure, man. Follow me."

Sylvia could wait a bit longer, right? He chuckled, imagining the look on her face when she saw he'd finally cut his hair.

He followed Butch into a room with two sinks and chairs and a large, mostly intact mirror on the wall. Looked legit enough. Butch gestured to one of the chairs. "Have a seat. It's 20 caps."

Mac reached into his pocket, pulling the correct number of caps out. "If you don't fuck it up, I'll give you another five." He replied, smugly.

Butch laughed, "I like you, kid. Just sit still and relax, I'm a pro."

Mac sat down in the chair, busying himself by flipping a cap around between his fingers. He hoped Sylvia would like whatever this guy did. He hoped she'd REALLY like it. He sighed, trying to think about anything but what had just happened, but he couldn't. His mind wanted to replay the experience in shocking detail and he couldn't seem to sit still.  
Butch frowned, "Hold still, man. I almost nicked your ear."

"S-sorry." He mumbled. 

Butch smirked, noticing the brutal looking hickey on Mac's neck. He tapped it, "Where'd you get that masterpiece?"

Mac chuckled, "None of your business."

Butch shook his head, "Oh man, reminds me of this girl I know. Feisty lady. Killer body. Way too good with her mouth. We hook up whenever she's in town and she always leaves me with marks like that to remember her by."

Mac smirked, closing one eye as clipped hair fell on his nose. "Sounds like you wish she'd stick around."

Butch nodded, dusting the loose hair off of Mac's face. "Yeah kinda, but I don't blame her. I was a total asshole to her before she left the vault and she's got something of a reputation to uphold now."

Mac's eyes widened. Finally able to remain still, he eyed Butch, who was obliviously finishing up his work. He clenched his fists tightly, disregarding the way the cap bit into his palm. "What kind of reputation?"

Butch wet a comb, running it through Mac's hair, pulling it back and away from his forehead. "Hm? Oh. Nothing, kid. That ain't important." 

Mac scowled at him, his knuckles turning white. Sylvia? She came from a vault, didn't she? There's no way she'd ever be with a guy like this. Right? 

After dusting off his neck and face a bit more, Butch was finished.

"All done! Mirror's behind you. Check it out." He proclaimed, stepping back with his arms crossed.

Mac stood, trying to remain calm as he walked up to the mirror. His hair looked... really good. Surprisingly good. He felt the back of his head. Shorter in the back and on the sides but still long enough to style on top. It suited him, but damn if he still didn't want to hit this guy.

"Thanks, it's... great." He said, heading for the door.

Butch rushed ahead, barring his exit with his arm and a scowl. "Hey man. Ain't you forgetting something?"

Mac glared at him, cursing under his breath. He begrudgingly handed him five extra caps and pushed past him, wanting to distance himself from the greasy fucker. 

He spotted Princess in the galley, sitting with a few other people. He smirked as he approached. Pay day. Just what he needed to lighten his mood.

"Princess. Long time no see."

She rolled her eyes, dropping the fork she was using. "RJ? What is this, some kind of damn family reunion?"

He frowned, "Whatever, you got those caps you borr-"

A girl she was sitting with turned around to look at him and it felt like all of the air left his lungs in an instant. He blinked a few times. He couldn't get his mouth to work, his jaw dropping in shock instead.

Princess grinned wickedly, "You remember Lucy, don't you?"

Lucy smiled warmly at him, quickly standing and launching herself against his chest in a hug. "RJ!! You're alive!"

He instinctively wrapped his arms around her, still struggling to speak. He made another attempt. 

"L-Lucy?" He squeaked, voice breaking slightly.

She pulled away to look up at him, her hazel eyes shimmering from the happy tears that were forming. "I thought I'd never see you again!"

He pulled himself together. "I... You... When did you get here?" He asked, softly.

She wiped her face on her sleeve. "Just got to the city but I left home a few months ago. Joseph came back to get Penny and I left with them."

He looked over to the other girl sitting there. Penny grinned at him, "Hey."

Princess laughed, folding her arms. "You should see the look on your face, RJ! Still as lovesick as the day you left."

He glared at her, blushing furiously. "Shut the fuck up, Angela!"

Lucy frowned at him, "RJ, are you feeling alright? Your face looks flushed and you're covered in bruises." She reached up to touch his forehead, glancing at the 'bruise' on his neck.

"I f-feel fine." He stammered, grasping her hands in his to stop her fussing. 

Princess snickered. "I don't know, Lucy. That neck bruise looks gnarly. Almost like it was... intentional." She narrowed her eyes at Mac in a prissy fashion.

He shot her a heated glance, reaching up to cover his neck. He looked back down at Lucy, seeing the concern all over her face. He swallowed nervously. The last thing he'd ever want to do is disappoint her. She'd saved him countless times as children and now, seeing her after so long, he felt the same butterflies in his stomach as he had back then. It was unexpected, to say the least.

A familiar voice called out, from behind him.

"Sorry, kids. We ran into some trouble on our way over here. MacCready's fine. Nothing time won't heal." Sylvia announced, her hands on her hips.

Mac turned slowly to face her, dread on his face, Lucy peering over his shoulder at the strange woman. Princess stared at her in shock.

"Sylvia." He said, quietly.

She grinned, mouthing for him to follow her lead. He nodded, watching her carefully. She waved him over, "Reintroduce me, Mac. I may have forgotten some names."

He let out a shaky breath, standing next to her to face the group.

"Everyone, you remember the Lone Wanderer right? She visited us in Lamplight years ago." He announced, gesturing to Sylvia quickly.

Princess blinked, then sized her up with her eyes, bitterly. Lucy giggled, "I thought you looked familiar! I'm Lucy. Thank you so much again for all that Buffout you traded us." She stepped closer to shake her hand, which Sylvia obliged. 

"My name's Sylvia. You were the doctor, right?"

Lucy stayed near, gripping Mac's arm as she spoke, "That's right! Did you run into RJ out in the wasteland somewhere? I hope he wasn't too much trouble."

Sylvia glanced at where Lucy clutched his arm, then back to his face, which was very pale and she chuckled.

She smiled gently at him, "No trouble at all. Actually, he helped me out a lot. He's a good sniper, that one."

Lucy frowned, "Sniper? That sounds dangerous."

He snapped out of it somewhat, turning to Lucy. "Y-yeah but... uh. It's my job now."

She tilted her head in confusion. "You shoot people for a living?"

"Uh..." His eyes darted back and forth for a moment, trying to think of something fast. He looked back at her face, twisted with worry. He couldn't do it. He just couldn't tell her that he was a merc. Couldn't tell her the truth about Sylvia, either. It would break her heart. "I'm a soldier."

Lucy grinned. "Really? I think that actually suits you."

Princess groaned loudly in annoyance, shoving a leather bag in his hand. "Here are your damn caps, RJ. I'm out of here. Too warm and fuzzy in here." She stormed off, looking back briefly to glare at Sylvia knowingly.

Penny got up from her seat, walking over to Lucy's side. "Come on, Lucy. Joe's waiting to take us on that tour you wanted."

Lucy bit her full bottom lip. "Oh, that's right..."

Mac frowned, looking at the floor. He hated seeing her pout.

"How long will you be in Rivet City?" Lucy asked, hopefully.

He rubbed the back of his neck, looking to Sylvia. "Uh, well..."

Sylvia didn't even skip a beat. "He's on leave at the moment. Right, Mac?"

He nodded, mouthing her thank you. "Yeah. What she said."

"Join us for dinner and drinks tonight," Sylvia offered, "The Muddy Rudder in the lower deck. My treat."

Lucy beamed at her, "That sounds great!"

"Bring the whole gang. I wanna hear all about your adventures so far." Sylvia added, smiling.

Mac felt Lucy release her grip on his arm, his disappointment lasting seconds before she wrapped herself around him in a firm hug. She looked up at him coyly from under her bangs.

"See you later, RJ." She said softly, leaning up to kiss his cheek. He blushed, unable to speak, as she pulled away to join Penny. He watched them leave before turning to Sylvia.

"Sylvia... I..." He started, looking anywhere else but her face.

"Let's talk somewhere else. This city loves to gossip." She replied, heading for the main stairwell.

...

Once back in their room, Mac stood near the door, seemingly afraid to fully enter. Sylvia sat on the edge of the bed, eyeing him. "Nice haircut. I see you've met my friend Butch."

Mac's eyes snapped up to hers, narrowing. "Yeah, I met that asshole."

She grinned at him, "Whoa! Asshole? What did he do?"

He crossed his arms angrily, "You, apparently. Frequently."

She furrowed her brow. "So?"

He kicked a table next to him, causing a lamp to fall and shatter. "So?! You can't just fuck the whole wasteland!"

Sylvia marched over to him, slapping him hard across the face. "No! You don't get to be fucking jealous, MacCready! Not when I just saw you salivating over that sweet, innocent girl."

He held his cheek, scowling at her. "My thing with Lucy is none of your fucking business!"

She pushed him back, slamming him against the wall and holding him there. "You're right. It's not. Just for argument's sake, let's pretend it is. Is there a reason we stood there LYING to her?"

He looked away from her, gritting his teeth. "She's... just..."

She let him go, stepping back a bit. He took the opportunity to grab her arm, quickly throwing her against the wall instead. She let out a startled gasp. He pinned her there, speaking carefully, "Lucy's important to me. S-she's a good f-friend. Nothing more."

Sylvia frowned at him. "Come on, Mac. I wasn't born yesterday. Anyone with eyes can tell it's more than that."

He slammed his hand on the wall, next to her head. "That's bullshit! If I really felt more for her, do you honestly think I would have still fucked you?!"

His eyes began to well up and she gave him a concerned but knowing look. "This was a mistake, Mac."

He backed away from her, moving to sit down on the floor in front of the bed. "I'm so sorry, Sylvia. You should have just left me with those thugs in Megaton."

She approached him cautiously, sitting across from him. "That was never an option." 

He looked at her apologetically. "How many more caps do we need?"

She sighed, shaking her head. "I've always had enough. Guess I just missed having a companion. I didn't ever think we'd end up in bed, though."

He nodded, smiling. "That's why you never seemed bothered by spending caps."

"While we're still being honest here, what's up with you and Lucy?"

He sighed, grinning wildly. "She's the most beautiful girl I've ever seen,"

Sylvia smiled gently, remaining quiet as he spoke.

"Patient, caring, really just too good for this world. I always thought I'd end up marrying her someday, until I left Lamplight before her. Then I was just trying not to get myself killed. I never expected to see her out here. My mind just couldn't associate her with this hellhole."

"You're in love with her, Mac." She stated, reaching out to stroke his hand comfortingly. "She's here. You're here. Be together. Like you wanted to before."

He nodded. "You're right."

She chuckled, "Let's get you cleaned up for that dinner."

He laughed, gesturing to his tattered clothes. "How? This is all I've got and it's seen better days."

She grinned suspiciously, pointing to the dresser. "I may have splurged on you earlier."

He shook his head. "I believe I'm the one who splurged all over you."

She laughed boisterously, falling backwards onto the floor. "Just open the drawer you idiot."

He smirked, moving to the dresser and opening it. He pulled out a barely used set of army fatigues and an intact, tan, leather duster. His eyes widened as he turned to look at her in shock. "Sylvia, this is too nice. I can't fucking accept this."

She giggled, lighting up a smoke. "You can and you will. Consider it an early wedding present."

Mac grinned from ear to ear and quickly started to undress. Sylvia covered her eyes, "Geez, Mac. Little warning?" 

She heard no reply, just the shuffling of fabric.

"It's awesome." He said, softly. "Thank you so much."

Sylvia opened her eyes to admire her taste. She whistled at him. "Lookin' sharp. Lucy's going to love it."

He walked over to her, reaching out with his hand for her to shake. "Really, Syl. I owe you everything. Thank you."

She shook his hand firmly. "You don't owe me. I'm just happy that I can count you as a friend."

He leaned forward, placing a gentle kiss on her cheek. 

"Always."


End file.
